A SUNDAY TIMES AND TLS BOOK OF THE YEAR
'Fascinating and important'
Natalie Haynes, author of Stone Blind
'Monumental and vividly imagined'
Daily Telegraph
'Wonderfully entertaining'
Sunday Times
'Lively and engrossing '
Literary Review
On a sparsely populated Egyptian coastline, Alexander the Great sketched his vision of a metropolis into the sand. Situated on the cusp of three continents, it became the city where Greeks and Egyptians, Romans and Jews created a global knowledge capital that changed the face of philosophy, religion and science forever.
In this sweeping biography of the great city, Islam Issa takes us on a fascinating journey across millennia. Rich in big ideas, brutal tragedies and distinctive characters, Alexandria tells the gripping story of a city that has shaped our modern world.
'A multifaceted history of an enthralling city'
Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, author of Persians: The Age of the Great Kings
'A cornucopia of fascinating details, every page revealing a new delight'
Paul Strathern, author of The Medici